Looking for something different for the holiday season? If you really want to "WOW" your guests, serve these. In my younger years. I would offer an herbal cooking workshop in other people's homes (for up to 12 people) and we would make these AWESOME breads. They do take some time to make, but worth it. The guests were able to take home their own seasoned flowerpot home with the recipe.
Before you begin the dough, make sure that you season the flowerpots. You can use any size you like. If you use a medium pot, it will use 10 balls of dough.
Season the pots by brushing the insides with vegetable oil, then placing them on a baking sheet and heating in 450 degree oven for one hour. Cool, lightly wash (do not use soap) and dry the seasoned pots before using them. ( Do not put them in the dishwasher)
10 tablespoon butter
1 cup plain yogurt
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 egg lightly beaten, plus 1 egg yolk
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried sage
About 3 cups of flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lukewarm (105 to 115 degree) water
1 tablespoon milk
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon grated Paremsan cheese
1. In a small skillet, melt the butter, add the garlic and saute until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside and stir in the sage.
2. Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Stir in the sugar and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and the whole egg. In a large bowl, stir together 3 cups of flour and the salt and make a well in the center. Pour in the yogurt and yeast mixtures, and stir until the mixture forms a soft dough. Blend in 2 tablespoons of garlic-sage butter.
4.Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup flour if necessary. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a slightly dampened kitchen towel, set it aside in a warm, draft-free place, and let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Lightly grease 4 small (4inches across and 3 1/2 inches deep) or 2 medium (4 3/4 inches across and 4 3/4 inches deep) flowerpots and line the bpttoms with circles of lightly greased parchment or foil.
6. Punch the dough down, then transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 2 minutes, then divide it into 4 portion. Roll each portion into 5 balls, then dipping them in the remaining garlic-sage butter. Place the 5 balls of dough in each of the prepared flowerpots. (10 balls if using medium pots). Set aside, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in bulk, 30 to 45 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, beat together the remaining egg yolk and the milk glaze.
8. Brush the tops of the loaves with the egg glaze and sprinkle them with the Parmesan. Place the pots on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes (up to 8 minutes for medium loaves) or until the tops of the breads are golden brown. Cool the loaves in the pots for 15 minutes, then run the tip of a knive around the edge of each loaf to loosen it and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Makes 4 small or 2 medium loaves.
When I served these light and fluffy beauties, I placed the bread back into the flowerpot and arranged them it at each table setting. Now, I know that there are shortcuts, like buying the dough already made, but making it yourself adds that extra "love" into your meal. ENJOY!!!!!!!!
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